Specialists in all things R&D and innovation

As a new business you are probably creating new products and services to meet unmet demand, filling a gap in the market, or approaching things from a fresh perspective. This could well result in R&D activities and IP that can be commercialised.

For example:

• Almost any manufacturer will be innovating
• Software developments that are not off the shelf
• Offering a genuinely a new product – you google it and can’t find it
• Offering a product which exists but you address a performance issue or take the product on to another stage

As your business grows there are scale up challenges that require you to innovate, and often leading to R&D activities and resulting IP.

For example:

• Your product was launched in a limited market so part of scalability was to take the product into different sectors and applications
• You are growing through acquisition and there is uncertainty in integration
• For example, bakery selling more of an artisan bread does not present a challenge, however taking manufacturing of bread from a bakery to factory could qualify as innovation
• Your consumers will expect new versions

In today’s world you may need to innovate just to stand still, technology provides new opportunities, you need to respond to the market or drive efficiencies to cut costs.

• A dip in income forces you to do something to improve the product or service
• There can be an ongoing drive to be leaner and increase margin
• Sometimes innovation is found in “the day job”, perhaps a new reporting tool, updating old machinery and adapting machinery

As you exit you should be recognise the value of your business through an R&D and IP lens.

• How do you value your innovation – our due diligence could reveal the value of your R&D and Intellectual Property